Ask Honest John Question of the Week: Is there such a thing as too low mileage?

David Ross, Editor
Fri, 12 Jul 2024

Dear Honest John,

"Our son needs to change his 14 year old Fiesta, which has just scraped through it's MoT. His budget is tight for the replacement, £8k maximum. 

I have found a nine-year-old Toyota Yaris 1.33 Dual VVT-i for sale, but it's only covered 8k miles (1 owner). The MoT history stacks up with this. We like the Yaris, have one in the family already (which was bought at three years old with only 6k on the clock!) Is there a problem with a car having been driven so little? Should we risk it?

- EH

Dear EH,

There are three factors to consider when looking at a used car - age, mileage, and service history - and they should be given equal prominence.

A high-mileage car that has been well maintained could well be a safer bet than an otherwise identical car that appears more attractive because of its lower mileage, where a patchy service record may indicate neglect that will cause problems further down the line.

Similarly, a very low mileage car is likely to have been used for more shorter journeys, which can cause greater wear and tear than motorway use, which is relatively low stress on a vehicle's components in comparison.

Assuming the average annual mileage is 12,000 miles, a typical nine-year-old car would have covered around 108,000 miles, so this example is exceptionally low in this respect. That would suggest that the car has been used very little indeed, so as well as likely being used for short journeys it will have been parked up for long periods of time.

That can cause its own issues, with degradable components such as tyres, rubber bushings and seals perishing or becoming brittle, paint can fade and corrosion can take hold.

However, if the car has been maintained well then the low mileage has the potential to be a major plus point. Service schedules are usually based on both mileages and time periods - 12,000 miles/12 months for example - to account for the varying use of different drivers.

As long as the previous owner has had the vehicle maintained in accordance with the time periods - if it was based on mileage alone this car would not even be due its first service - and the condition reflects this, then this is a car that could provide reliable service for many years - and miles - to come.

Ask HJ

How important are age and mileage on a used car?

If a car is 4 years old but very low mileage is it worth buying?

Age and mileage are important considerations when buying a used car, but condition and service history are also crucial and these factors should be considered together when appraising a car. A four year old car with low mileage is an attractive prospect, but it is worth considering that it may have been used for lots of short journeys which are more wearing on a vehicle than motorway miles, so low mileage should not necessarily be considered as the most important element.

Answered by David Ross

More Questions